Directional control means for rockets or the like



g- 11, 1964 G. F. HAUSMANN 3,143,855

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL MEANS FOR ROCKETS OR THE LIKE Original Filed June 8,1961 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,143,856 DIRECTIONAL CONTROL MEANSFOR ROCKETS OR THE LIKE George F. Hausmann, Glastonbury, Conm, assignorto United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn, a corporation ofDelaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 115,696, June 8, 1961.This application July 30, 1963, Ser. No. 298,791

10 Claims. (Cl. 6035.54)

This application is a continuation of my previous application Serial No.115,696, filed June 8, 1961, and now abandoned, for Directional ControlMeans for Rockets or the Like.

This invention relates to a bistable fluid operated valve and nozzlearrangement usable for rocket steering or the like and of the type shownand described in the copending application of Charles Edward Kepler andRobert E. Olson, Serial No. 117,067, entitled Vehicle Steering Means andfiled June 14, 1961.

It is the general object of the present invention to improve the thrustefiiciency of at least one nozzle in a valve and nozzle arrangement ofthe type mentioned.

A more specific object of the invention involves the provision of anexpansion surface in combination with a valve and nozzle arrangement ofthe type referred to, the said surface being acted on by a fluid jetemitted from an exhaust nozzle in the nozzle arrangement in such mannerthat the thrust provided by the jet is increased.

The drawing shows a preferred embodiment of the invention and suchembodiment will be described, but it will be understood that variouschanges may be made from the construction disclosed, and that thedrawing and description are not to be construed as defining or limitingthe scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of thisspecification being relied upon for that purpose.

The single figure of the drawing is a schematic illustration of a valve,nozzle arrangement, and expansion surface constituting a presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring particularly to the drawing, it will be observed that abistable fluid operated valve indicated generally at 10 comprises ahousing means 12 which defines an inlet passageway indicated generallyat 14. Also defined by and within the housing means 12 and by a splitterpanel 16 are first and second branch passageways 18 and 28. The branchpassageways 18 and 20 communicate with the inlet passageway 14 at theirinlet ends and they also communicate, at their discharge or exhaustends, with first and second exhaust nozzles 22 and 24.

The inlet passageway 14 of the valve 10 may be supplied with hot gasesor other high pressure fluid from a suitable source not shown, but whichmay conveniently comprise a combustion chamber in a rocket carrying thevalve. Fluid flow at sonic or supersonic velocity is provided for by ashort converging section 26 and a diverging section 38 in the valve.

A switching or operating means in the valve 10 comprises first andsecond switching jets emitted selectively from first and second opposedcontrol nozzles 28 and 30. The control nozzles 28 and 30 are shown asbeing formed integrally with the aforesaid housing means 12 and theyhave associated supply passageways 32 and 34. The passageways 32 and 34are connectible with a source of fluid at high pressure through acontrol means, not shown, but which is adapted to cause first and secondswitching jets to be emitted selectively from the nozzles 28 and 30respectively. The switching jets issue from the nozzles '28 and 30 in adirection transverse to the direction of flow of the fluid streamthrough the inlet passageway 14. Additionally, it is to be observed thatthe said inlet passageway is stepped outwardly or sharply divergent at asection 36 immediately adjacent the mouths of the nozzles 28 and 30. Thesharply divergent or outwardly stepped section 36 of the inletpassageway contributes to the effective operation of the switching jetsin the mannot explained in the aforementioned copending application.

With the inlet passageway and control nozzle arrangement described, aswitching jet issuing from the first nozzle 28 will cause the sonic orsupersonic main flow stream passing through the inlet passageway toenter and pass through the first branch passageway 18 and the exhaustnozzle 22. There will be substantially no fluid flow through the secondbranch passageway 20 and such condition will exist even in the absenceof a continuing switching jet from the nozzle 28. Thus, a switching jetin the form of a pulse of short duration is effective to switch flowfrom the second branch passageway 20 to the first branch passageway 18.Conversely, a switching jet in the form of a pulse emitted by the secondcontrol nozzle 30 will serve to switch flow from the first branchpassageway 18 to the second branch passageway 20 and the exhaust nozzle24. There will be substantially no flow through the first branchpassageway 18 and flow will be maintained wholly within the secondpassageway 20 even in the absence of a continuing jet from the controlnozzle 30.

The bistable characteristics of the valve 10 obtain so long as thepressure ratio between the branch passageways 18 and 20 is maintainedbelow a maximum limit. As explained in the aforementioned copendingapplication, atmospheric pressure change is rendered ineffective in thebranch passageways 18 and 20 and in the region adjacent the switchingjets by the provision of exhaust nozzles which provide for selectivelyemitted exhaust jets with an angular relationship such that the mouth ofan inactive exhaust nozzle is always crossed and blocked by a jet froman active nozzle. This effectively extends the range of operation of thevalve as is also explained in the said copending application.

As shown, the first and second exhaust nozzles 22 and 24 are disposed inadjacent relationship and they are angularly arranged with respect toeach other to provide for the abovementioned crossing and blockingrelationship of their jets. In addition, and in accordance with theinvention an expansion surface is provided in operative association withat least one of the exhaust nozzles and a fluid jet emitted thereby. Ashallow concave expansion surface 46 shown is operatively associatedwith the first exhaust nozzle 22 and with a fiuid jet emitted by saidnozzle. The surface 46 is so constructed and arranged that the jet fromthe nozzle 22 reacts on the surface in such manner that its thrust isincreased.

While the invention is not so limited, the exhaust nozzle and expansionsurface arrangement shown is adapted for use of the jet emitted by thenozzle 24 for direction controlling purposes and for use of the jetemitted by the nozzle 22 merely as an energy conservation means. Thatis, thrust provided by the jet emitted from the nozzle 22 is utilized toadd an increment of axial thrust to a vehicle carrying the valve andnozzle arrangement and to avoid wasting available energy.

Observing that an arrow 62 represents the main thrust axis of a vehiclecarrying the valve and nozzle arrangement, it will be seen that a jetemitted from the nozzle 24 is directed laterally with respect to saidaxis for steering or direction controlling purposes. Further, it will beseen that the nozzle 22 is arranged so that a fluid jet emittedtherefrom is initially directed angularly rearwardly and laterally withrespect to the thrust axis 62, and is then turned or redirected by theexpansion surface 46 substantially into parallelism with the said thrustaxis, arrows 6d, 60 representing the modified or redirected course ofthe jet.

Now, it will be apparent that other forms of expansion surfaces may beutilized to improve thrust efficiency in the manner described and theuse of such other forms is within the scope of the invention. However, amaximum improvement in thrust efficiency of a jet emitted from thenozzle 22 is obtained in the embodiment of the invention shown with theexpansion surface 45 and, accordingly, the said surface is presentlypreferred. Similarly, it will be apparent that it is within the scope ofthe invention to provide for crossing and blocking jets neither of whichis adapted to provide for axial thrust and either or both of which mayhave an associated expansion surface for improved thrust efiiciency.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiment herein illustrated and described but may be used in otherways without departure from its spirit as defined by the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a fluid operated valve and nozzle arrangement; the combination ofmeans defining a longitudinally extending inlet fluid passageway andfirst and second branch fluid passageways communicating with said inletpassageway, first and second opposed transversely extending controlnozzles including means to selectively emit first and second controlfluid jets to said inlet passageway respectively to direct a fluidstream from said inlet passageway to said first or second branchpassageways, first and second exhaust nozzles communicating respectivelywith said first and second branch passageways to emit first and secondthrust producing exhaust jets as determined by said control jets, saidexhaust nozzles being arranged angularly with respect to each other sothat the jet emitted from each nozzle crosses and blocks the mouth ofthe other nozzle, and means defining an expansion surface in operativeassociation with at least one of said exhaust nozzles so as to be actedon by a jet emitted from said nozzle in such manner that the thrustproduced by the jet is increased.

2. In a fluid operated valve and nozzle arrangement; the combination ofmeans defining a longitudinally extending inlet fluid passageway andfirst and second branch fluid passageways communicating with said inletpassageway, first and second opposed transversely extending controlnozzles including means to selectively emit first and second controlfluid jets to said inlet passageway respectively to direct a fiuidstream from said inlet passageway to said first or second branchpassageways, first and second exhaust nozzles communicating respectivelywith said first and second branch passageways to emit first and secondthrust producing exhaust jets as determined by said control jets, saidexhaust nozzles being arranged angularly with res ect to each other sothat the jet emitted from each nozzle crosses and blocks the mouth ofthe other nozzle, and means defining a shallow concave expansion surfacein operative association with at least one of said exhaust nozzles andserving to turn at least a portion of a jet emitted by said nozzle insuch manner that the thrust produced by the jet is increased.

3. In a fluid operated valve and nozzle arrangement usable on rocketsand the like; the combination of means defining a longitudinallyextending inlet fluid passageway and first and second branch fluidpassageways communicating with said inlet passageway, first and secondtransversely extending opposed control nozzles including means toselectively emit first and second control fluid jets to said inletpassageway respectively to direct a fluid stream from said inletpassageway to said first or second branch passageways, adjacent firstand second exhaust nozzles communicating respectively with said firstand second branch passageways to emit first and second thrust producingexhaust jets as determined by said control jets, said first and secondexhaust nozzles being arranged angularly with respect to each other sothat the jet emitted from each nozzle crosses and blocks the mouth ofthe other nozzle and so that one jet issues laterally with respect to athrust axis and so that the other jet issues generally along said thrustaxis, and means defining an expansion surface for turning at least aportion of said other jet in such manner that the thrust producedthereby is increased.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said expansionsurface is so shaped that said other jet is turned substantially intoparallelism with said thrust axis.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said one jet issuessubstantially at right angles with respect to said thrust axis andwherein said other jet issues angularly rearwardly and laterally withrespect to said axis.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said expansionsurface is of shallow concave configuration and serves to turn saidother jet substantially into parallelism with said thrust axis.

7. In a fluid operated valve and nozzle arrangement; the combination ofmeans defining a longitudinally extending inlet fluid passageway andfirst and second branch fluid passageways communicating with said inletpassageway, first and second opposed transversely extending controlnozzles including means to selectively emit first and second controlfluid jets to said inlet passageway respectively to direct a fluidstream from said inlet passageway to said first or second branchpassageways, first and second exhaust nozzles communicating respectivelywith said first and second branch passageways to emit first and secondthrust producing exhaust jets as determined by said control jets, saidexhaust nozzles being arranged angularly with respect to each other, andmeans defining an expansion surface in operative association with atleast one of said exhaust nozzles so as to be acted on by a jet emittedfrom said nozzle in such manner that the thrust produced by the jet isincreased.

8. In a fluid operated valve and nozzle arrangement; the combination ofmeans defining a longitudinally extending inlet fluid passageway andfirst and second branch fluid passageways communicating with said inletpassageway, first and second opposed transversely extending controlnozzles including means to selectively emit first and second controlfluid jets to said inlet passageway respectively to direct a fluidstream from said inlet passageway to said first or second branchpassageways, first and second exhaust nozzles communicating respectivelywith said first and second branch passageways to emit first and secondthrust producing exhaust jets as determined by said control jets, saidexhaust nozzles being arranged angularly with respect to each other sothat the jet from at least one of said exhaust nozzles crosses andblocks the mouth of the other exhaust nozzle, and means defining anexpansion surface in operative association with at least one of saidexhaust nozzles so as to be acted on by a jet emitted from said nozzlein such manner that the thrust produced by the jet is increased.

9. A fluid operated valve and nozzle arrangement including meansdefining a fluid inlet passageway, first and second branch fluidpassageways communicating with the discharge end of said fluid inletpassageway, first and second opposed control means for selectivelyinjecting first and second opposed control jets into said fluid inletpassageway to selectively direct a fluid stream in said inlet passagewayto one or the other of said first and second branch fluid passageways,first and second discharge means connected respectively to said firstand second branch passageways to emit first and second fluid streams asdetermined by said opposed control means. said first and second,discharge means being arranged angularly with respect to each other, andmeans downstream of at least one of said discharge means forming anexpansion surface for the stream from said one discharge means.

10. A valve and nozzle arrangement including means defining a fluidinlet passageway, first and second branch fluid passagewayscommunicating with the discharge end of said fluid inlet passageway,control means for selectively directing a fluid stream in said inletpassageway to one or the other of said first and second branch fluidpassageways, first and second discharge means connected respectively tosaid first and second branch passageways to emit first and second fluidstreams as determined by said control means, said first and seconddischarge means being arranged angularly with respect to each other, andmeans downstream of at least one of said discharge means forming anexpansion surface for the stream from said one discharge means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS3,005,533 Wadey Oct. 24, 1961

10. A VALVE AND NOZZLE ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING MEANS DEFINING A FLUIDINLET PASSAGEWAY, FIRST AND SECOND BRANCH FLUID PASSAGEWAYSCOMMUNICATING WITH THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID FLUID INLET PASSAGEWAY,CONTROL MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY DIRECTING A FLUID STREAM IN SAID INLETPASSAGEWAY TO ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND BRANCH FLUIDPASSAGEWAYS, FIRST AND SECOND DISCHARGE MEANS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TOSAID FIRST AND SECOND BRANCH PASSAGEWAYS TO EMIT FIRST AND SECOND FLUIDSTREAMS AS DETERMINED BY SAID CONTROL MEANS, SAID FIRST AND SECONDDISCHARGE MEANS BEING ARRANGED ANGULARLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, ANDMEANS DOWNSTREAM OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID DISCHARGE MEANS FORMING ANEXPANSION SURFACE FOR THE STREAM FROM SAID ONE DISCHARGE MEANS.